BMR: Water
by mjames577
Summary: Cedric and Sophia's relationship is on the repair whilst Raymond not only meets his new psychotherapist but also sees someone special to his life.
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story takes place exactly one week after Raymond had been admitted to hospital from being wounded in a gun attack. It was quite difficult for me but I managed to have the story 'Paint' completed before the start of the London Olympics. In this story, Raymond McBride meets his new psychotherapist as he talks to him about his detective, Black Man Ray. You'll get an opportunity to know a little more about this detective in, maybe, at least a few chapters.

This story will also feature Cedric, Sophia, Broo and a few other characters from the Raccoons as the two aardvarks finally meet each other again after the events had taken place in the _Raccoons and the Lost Star _special. Another thing to look out for is for the young, 10 year old, Raymond McBride, as the old Raymond suffers some sort of health problem and soon remembers of how he was being bullied easily by most of the schoolmates from the boys' primary school that he goes to. But the big surprise will happen, possibly, at the last chapter of this story.

**WARNING: **This story will contain strong language particularly in one chapter that features Raymond's schoolmates, crude humour and one or two scenes that will be shocking for some. This story isn't necessary suitable for children and for some teenagers. It is suitable for mature and sensible audiences only.

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the rights to the Raccoons or any of the characters from the show. They belong to Kevin Gillis. Any bands, artists, songs, albums, famous figures and real people being mentioned in this story also do not belong to me; they belong to the property of their respective owners. They will not appear in this story and they never will. The characters that are not from the Raccoons and who are not real people belong to me. Please do not use these characters without my permission. I will be quite upset if you do. Any resemblance of characters to real people, living or dead is coincidental and unintentional.

**Black Man Ray: Water**

**Chapter 1: The Detective Speaks**

Water is like a mirror but it goes through when you use your hand as well as your body. It can flow steadily or roughly though it will spoil your own reflection. Water, however, can be an enemy to life sometimes. Men build things that we use to float on or even to go over the water, like a bridge, for example.

On a bridge stands a smart-looking man, wearing in black overalls, walking from one side to the bridge to the other. He stops at the middle to look at the river down below. It was 'Black Man Ray'. He is a private detective but also has another career on his hands. To give his legs a rest, he starts smoking one of his cigarettes from his packet and the match he used was thrown into the river below. He speaks to you while he smokes.

"Water is not just important to us all nor to other things that can matter to themselves. It is important for the whole world to be half-covered from this stuff. Am I right? Without water, it will make our own mouths go dry just like the land of a desert filled with soft, absorbent sand. It will also make these planets we live on go rocky and hard and also quite stiff. There will be no life on in this planet just as you think that there is life on the planet Mars. Am I not wrong?

Ray can notice a reflection of the moon in the water below.

"Sometimes, the moon may shine upon me but it gives me the creeps just as bad as I was thinking that one day I'll end up being a werewolf. This reflection, down there, can make the colour of the water turn silver at this time of night. The fish swim cowardly away, thinking that some fishermen have arrived early to catch them before being produced in a fishmonger nearby. The nights can sometimes be cold. If the nights have temperatures drop to sub-zero then this river will of course turn itself hard into stoned ice. It will act just like a mirror anyway. If it does break by either me or you, it means seven years bad luck. Well, it might not be but what I have said could be true. Am I right or am I right? For when night falls, I intend to feel my eyes will go dim and I get a gloomy sense of wonder, thought and even fear. I can just imagine that the world has disappeared into a black hole and I believe that this planet we live on will never exist again. Let's hope not."

Ray takes something out of his pocket; it was an old coin costing at least half a penny.

"Huh, even this coin will fall into some sort of hole and it will never be seen from us again."

He then managed to have his coin flipped into the air before making a sound when it made contact to water below. Down goes the coin, sinking quickly. The sight of the coin also shrinks quickly too. No more is the old-fashioned coin. Maybe Ray thinks this is like standing by a wishing well, hoping that his wish would come true.

**END OF CHAPTER ONE**

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The next chapter will see Cedric and Sophia (oh, not to forget Broo) finally meeting each other after the last few days of the events that happened in the strange jungle planet from the _Raccoons and the Lost Star_. You'll go over the moon when you read the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Get ready for this; it's the chapter that involves Cedric and Sophia meeting each other at last, a few days after the events in the strange jungle planet from the _Raccoons and the Lost Star_. Please enjoy it, whatever you do.

DISCLAIMER: Like it was in the first chapter, I do not own the rights to the Raccoons nor any of the characters from the show.

Without further ado, let this story continue…

**Chapter Two: Reflections**

Night has already fallen for the strange planet nearby to Earth. Sometimes, the creatures may sleep or be awake at this time of night. There are two creatures that are awake at this time of night. It was Sophia Tutu and her little pet puppy, Broo. Sophia still gets the feeling of loneliness despite having company with Broo. She thought she may never see her boyfriend, Cedric, after hearing rumors that he had died alongside with his father's gang after their headquarters was destroyed from self-destruction.

However, these rumors were untrue and it wasn't for too long when all was revealed when Broo was busy sniffing down on the ground. He was sniffing at something that could lead to footprints. He barked to his mistress about this situation.

"What is it, Broo?" asked Sophia. Broo barked to what he is showing. "Are you sniffing for something, is it from someone?"

Broo barked in agreement and he ran off to investigate.

"Wait for me, Broo," called Sophia, as she followed him. However, with Broo running so fast, she couldn't keep up. She couldn't know of what Broo is searching for.

She found Broo on what he is looking at something, a little distance ahead of them. They noticed some sort of campsite and with a huge tent already been set up. There were bears guarding around the huge tent making this tent secure as possible. The female aardvark and the little puppy froze in agony. They decided not to move close to it or they will be caught. Sophia, who realized of what Broo was searching for, walked slowly backwards and was staring to get a great sense of fear that was trickling down her spine and was worried that something nasty could happen to her and for her pet puppy, Broo.

Suddenly, without looking of what where she was going, Sophia stumbled on something that was on her back. It was something like it was moving towards her. It startled her completely. She jumped away in fright and fell down to the ground on her back. She was about to let out a loud scream, believing that she and her puppy had been caught by one of the guards of the Imperial Commander.

Luckily, for Sophia and Broo, there was no need for them to be alarmed. She looked at the thing that frightened her from behind. She gasped when all was revealed. It was Cedric Sneer. He was holding his glasses on both hands as his glasses had almost fallen out from him when he bumped into Sophia. He put his glasses on so he can see properly. He was surprised to see the very person he was hoping to see at this time.

Sophia couldn't be any more but relieved of what she was seeing. She thought she was seeing an illusion, for instance, she might be seeing him as a ghost. This was not true, it was all for true reality.

"Err…hi, Sophia," greeted Cedric, cautiously.

"Cedric," replied Sophia, slowly. "It's you!" She got back up and move close to him. She looked at him, long and sharply, mostly at his face.

Cedric seems to be fine and was unhurt after the self-destruction from the volcano. Sophia felt a little optimistic and she touched him on one of his upper arms close to his shoulder. She felt the firm, soft skin of his and was thinking that she might touch him on the cheek, whilst focusing her sight at Cedric's face. She noticed the eyes of Cedric's whilst his glasses were put on.

Suddenly, Sophia remembered something of how she and Cedric met the last time around. She gave Cedric a cross-looking face and slapped him on the cheek.

"Ow! What was that for?" asked Cedric, feeling puzzled.

"That was for the last time we have met, Cedric," said Sophia, severely. "Your father placed me and my friends in this awful, miserable dungeon of his. I'm not sure if I can talk to a silly, pathetic creature like you are." She turned around as she finished.

Cedric had himself being imagined like a priceless vase being smashed onto the ground. He felt a grim sense that was inside his mind. He soon realized of what Sophia was talking about.

"Oh yeah, I remember now," sighed Cedric. "But Sophia, that was in the past. We should forget about this now. I'm trying to be with you again."

Broo barked proudly at him. "So does Broo, I bet he's happy to see me. I draw a map for you and your friends to escape. I know that my Pop's hardly nice towards you but he's not feeling well at the present moment. I might spend some time with him but I also want to spend time with you, Sophia. So, shall we look forward to the future, Sophia?"

Sophia remained silent as an answer to him.

Cedric was feeling down and replied. "Well, if that's the way you want it, Sophia, that's fine with me. It looks like we won't be seeing each other again. I guess...this is goodbye, Sophia."

Cedric decided to walk away from Sophia and Broo. He was starting to feel upset with himself. Broo whined at him, persuading him to stay but Cedric was already starting to walk away from them. Cedric believed that his love to Sophia seemed to be lost forever. He knows that he didn't mean to do anything wrong towards Sophia and felt guilty upon this.

Then, Sophia called for him. "Cedric."

Cedric stopped and turned around to see her. "Yes, Sophia?"

Sophia still won't look at him and said. "Are you going to promise me something?"

"Promise you what, Sophia?" asked Cedric.

Then, he remembered of how he gave his promise towards his father by seeing each other every single day. He knows that making one promise too many will cause the other promises to be broken. He was determined to give Sophia a big promise.

He cleared his throat and said, clearly. "Sophia, I going to make a promise to you. I promise...that I will never betray you again. I've already made a mistake about this but I insist that it should not happen to you again...not even to Broo too."

Broo barked in agreement and wagged his tail.

"Is that you wanted, Sophia? You know, you're right about those animals being locked up in my Pop's dungeon. I wish I could help out but if I did...I would be in big trouble."

Sophia sighed and asked to Cedric. "If I had been taken prisoner again by your father, Cedric, what would you do?"

"I would set you free," replied Cedric in a serious tone. "I swear, that this won't happen again, Sophia. I'll make sure that you won't go near with my Pop nor any of his guards. Honest."

Sophia turned around and looked at Cedric. She can see that Cedric was being as honest as ever. She smiled at him and had a wonderful feeling that was in her head. She can now spend time with Cedric after he gave her a major, sincere promise. She couldn't be any happier over what Cedric had said to her.

"Oh Cedric!" she said in delight and raced towards him. She put her arms around Cedric's neck and gently kissed him on the dry, soft, tender lips.

Cedric felt stunned, his promise had worked. After a couple of seconds of kissing, Sophia embraced Cedric, tightly. He responded by having the urge to place his arms around Sophia's back. Their embrace was warm, comfortable and even romantic.

Broo watched everything and placed his forehead on Cedric's ankle. He had positive feelings when Cedric had returned to see him and Sophia again.

Sophia and Cedric looked at each other from face to face. Cedric had his sight focusing on Sophia's beautiful blue eyes.

"Let's say tomorrow night, Cedric," said Sophia. "We can get back to where we left off before all of this had happened."

"Sure, why not, Sophia?" agreed Cedric. "That would be great."

Sophia gave a quick kiss to Cedric on the cheek and had themselves let go from the embrace. Broo joined Sophia to head back home. She was about to be out of sight from Cedric but she had one last look at Cedric before she and her pet puppy had left.

Cedric waved goodbye to them but he didn't speak after receiving something that he hadn't had during his lifetime. He was amazed of how Sophia forgive him by having each other's lips met for the first time. He thought through with it as he went back to his campsite that was nearby. Cedric had a little tent of his own just a little distance away from his father's huge tent. He got into his sleeping bag, taken his glasses off and put his hands behind his head that night. He couldn't help but to think about what he did was perfect for Sophia. He slowly shut his eyes and drifted off peacefully into his sleep.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, that's chapter two for you. The next chapter will feature Raymond meeting his new psychotherapist and his little story that features his made-up detective will continue. There's plenty more to come, so keep reading!


	3. Chapter 3

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter might be a bit slow but it is also funny in one or two parts. I shall continue on with Raymond's time in hospital and his detective story in action.

DISCLAIMER: (Here I go again!) I do not own the rights to the Raccoons nor any characters from the show. Other things like songs and that sort of stuff also do not belong to me.

Alright, I'll continue now before I pass wind…

**Chapter Three: Watercolors**

SQUEAK! SQUEAK! That was the sound of a wheelchair being pulled by a black porter, sitting on the wheelchair is 20 year-old Raymond McBride. He was going to meet his new psychotherapist but he isn't going to be so lucky to meet new people, he hasn't got an interest on them at all.

"Sure, why not?" muffled Raymond.

"What did you say?" spoke the black porter.

"What?" the reply came out of Raymond.

"I said, what did you say?"

"The tent, it's the little tent nearby to the big one. That's where I'll be."

The black porter chuckled. "We're almost there, cadet. We're almost there."

In no time at all, they arrived at the psychotherapist's room. The psychotherapist wasn't present at first but soon will be by the time the black porter leaves Raymond in peace.

"You'll wait for the man, right?" asked the black porter.

"Right," replied Raymond.

The black porter placed the locks on the wheels and soon departed. Raymond was left alone, in silence. The silence was barely complete for Raymond. Whilst looking around, he noticed five writing pads that are placed by one onto another just like building blocks. He was very surprised to know that they were there.

"How…how on earth did he get my pads from?" thought Raymond. "I hope he hasn't burgled my own house or I'll burgle his next."

He suddenly hears a noise to his left and slightly turned his head in that direction. He was feeling curious by the minute. "What's going on?" He sighed nervously and just stared at his own pads.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Raymond's detective story, Black Man Ray was smoking a cigarette inside a ballroom that is not opened for the invited yet but he was busy doing his singing lessons alongside with the musicians who are playing with their instruments. The song that he was singing was 'Blue Velvet', which was one of his favorites.

Whilst he was singing, Barrister Filling went through a private door and wanted to see of how his friend is getting on.

Ray was about halfway through singing the song, he said to the musicians. "Gone was with me and to the music that you guys are making. Call the shots, lads. The words, of course, do break my loving heart when I sing." He put on his suit and continued. "We won't say anything of how a girl slaps a man's cheek when it comes to lying and cheating, won't we? You know, there's a frog about how likes to hop onto one place into another, he's not using the lily pad route though. I'll see you all later."

The musicians muttered to themselves when Ray walked away from them. He sat down on a chair nearby to a table until Barris, for short, called out to him. "Ray."

"Call me BMR, not Ray for short notice, Barris," advised the detective. "After all, I am the one and only. The place I had been brought up and even my father taught me how to sing properly especially whilst you are smoking. I bet you are a womanizer when it comes to having sex with pretty-looking prostitutes, I could imagine?"

"I'm sorry?" went Barris.

"As a matter of fact, you could be a man who is busy playing on the piano with the right notes at the right time, a guy who just loves the way I sing that can go well with the music you are making."

"I beg your pardon but I'm afraid…"

"You like the song, Barris? It can attract a slithering snake around your neck, yes?"

"Well yes, sort of…"

"It will make the ladies imagine that they were wearing blue velvet whilst dancing with their partners, am I not right?"

"Ray, I should…"

"No, you're not listening, aren't you? You didn't take it in, my friend. Other things are starting to drift away from your mind, isn't it?"

"No err…sorry."

"A yellow river that is just beyond the sea. You'll be under the boardwalk and then be lucky enough to find a girl so that you can make love to her."

"Look, I just don't understand…"

"You must be in trouble, Barris, trouble with a big T."

"Yes, I am."

"Dead trouble," said Ray as he used his bottle of wine that he was drinking with to point at Barris.

Barris sat down and continued to talk to Ray. "Look, I've been told that you can help me if anyone can."

"How said so, the person that you believed in?"

"It was my solicitor, he told me."

"If he recommended me then this must be a charade. That solicitor of yours is nothing but an over in-fated toad. He hates my guts, I don't even agree with him. Does he ever pick at his own teeth?"

"He says that you got the solution to my problem."

"I get the job as a polite guy's Passover. I can get the cases with the guys who don't sing or dance to anything. You should know that I am the piano-tuner who's heavy on the pedal. OK, OK, so what's the story and who's the dame?"

"How do you know there's a…"

"There's always a dame and where's the money?"

"I'm sorry?"

"After all, money is no object and another thing, there's a man with his birthday suit getting drowned by being potty or perhaps by someone who did it on purpose."

Barris started to go pale and Ray noticed it.

"You seem to be rather pale," said Ray. "You must have eaten bananas that are green. Who's trying to swing you into this mess and you seem nervous as I thought."

Barris stared at Ray, severely. It was getting intense for him after the way he has been spoken to. He wished he hadn't met him.

* * *

"Yes. I'm as nervous as I seem," said Raymond to himself. He was thinking of not because of his detective story but now believes that he wished he wasn't in the room where his new psychotherapist worked. It wasn't for that long until he will have to play a game of 'Guess Who?'

"Black is the colour of darkness, isn't it, sunshine?" said a voice behind him. Raymond wasn't in the mood to find out who is speaking to him. He can just about hear the door being closed quietly behind him.

"Someone's having their fantasy turn into life, hasn't it?" it said.

"No," replied Raymond. "I wish that person wouldn't."

"I have a degree of fondness for easily disposable things. Tissues that is just for men, colored pens and razor blades and et cetera."

"And don't forget about my bus fare home, of course. I like to head back to my headquarters, thanks very much."

"You said so right out of the horses' mouth."

"Are you worth it or not?"

"Ha, you know me," said the very person that is speaking to Raymond.

They said in unison, "Mansworth."

"Jerry Mansworth is my name," he said. The new psychotherapist has black hair slightly longer than Raymond and has a beard around its chin, lips and its sides close to his ears. "How do you do, Mr McBride?"

He showed Raymond one of his hands hoping to have it shaken but Raymond wasn't bothered at all. "I can't shake, doc."

"Why, of course," chuckled Mansworth. "You can't shake with your arms that are wounded, aren't they? I'm so sorry."

"Never mind, I'm not bothered to shake a hand to anyone anyway even for those whose hands aren't washed properly. I don't wanna be poisoned."

"My hands are clean, you see, Mr McBride," said Mansworth as he showed Raymond his clean hands.

"I couldn't be bothered to see your clean hands either," grumbled Raymond. He kept on speaking when Mansworth was sitting down on his desk. "You know, little men shouldn't sit places with their feet don't touch the floor, don't you think? It makes me think of nursery rhymes."

"It must be very difficult for you to think of that."

"What I tell them to think, that's for sure. I can't creep up on people who has a gun on one hand and then start shooting them to death. I know I shouldn't do things like that but that's what happened to me. I wonder where you learn that trick."

"You're not bothered to talk to me, aren't you? You don't even fancy to enjoy a good conversation with me."

"Christ, I wish I could get up and leave, this is no place that I like to be. All I have to do is to spend time seeing nurses carrying crap and piss on bedpans and having to speak to some of the old farts suffering from their mental madness. It gives me nightmares that are in my head going through the rich texture of fear and writing down words on pages. Seems to me that life is a piece of shit not to mention a homing pigeon doing its duty, whilst up in the air, and then land onto a nest that is filled with hair, yours."

Mansworth wasn't quite offended of what Raymond has said to him and replied. "This is quite a joke, isn't it?"

"It's not with me."

"You can't even look on the bright side of life, can you?"

"No way, though I would if I had. How little do you know?"

Mansworth grinned and looked at the black-colored pads that have been written by Raymond. "It must be clear to me that you've been writing some sort of storyline that involves a detective. Is it a novel or something that you have in mind?"

"Well, it all depends but I don't know if I should have my detective become notable to the public."

"It's only a stone's throw, you know."

Raymond felt silent as an answer to his new psychotherapist.

"There is something missing that is in your detective story," said Mansworth.

"What is?"

"Clues."

"Clues?! Ha, are you out of your reading mind? Of course, there's clues that I write in. Why, what is wrong with my story?"

"There's supposed to be clues in this detective story of yours. A detective always potter around the street to find the hidden clues, am I right or am I right?"

Raymond smirked and replied. "Huh, you should be an author one day not to mention the next Dexter, of course. He's the man who creates a good detective with a fine taste on opera and classical music and old-fashioned cars too."

"Well, the one that you're talking about, I had to confess, I just simply have no interest on him at all. I only like to watch television documentaries," said Mansworth.

"Oh my God," chuckled Raymond. "You should watch T.V. Detective shows nowadays. These shows are eye-catching, eye-popping and it's very good for your eye-sight, not just to eat carrots for instance."

"I do know that the clues are supposed to point into the direction of a murderer but what if they also reveal the victim just a little more clearly?"

"Look, are you going to keep on like this, I mean, is this the way you think that's going to start me off talking to you? Well, you're wrong and I'm right. If you think that you are being friendly and re-assuring like you go...'Ah, I think I know what it is,' you got to understand that you are taking interest in my story and there's one thing I like to say quite clearly, you are barking up the wrong tree, lad."

The psychotherapist was quite amazed with Raymond. "So I see, I must have jumped to the wrong conclusion," thought Mansworth.

There was silence for a little time.

Raymond, however, didn't like the way his psychotherapist has to stare at him in a funny look. "Oh look, stop it, will you?" demanded Raymond, crossly. "Stop staring at me like that, why not stare at a statue of Michelangelo and you'll end up looking like him, go on."

"Now now, I'm not going to hear outbursts like that," replied Mansworth, bluntly.

"Well go ahead and call the porter, I like to go back to my bed and I'll think more about my story and after all...I'm not going to talk to you and that's flat!"

"One more thing I should ask before my lips are royally sealed, how long have you been in this hospital for?"

"Ever since the day that I was born," joked Raymond. "Nah, I was only trying to pull your leg, was I? It's been about a week since it happened. Maybe, I've deserved it and...I am a little bit pleased with myself that I've ended up in here. It's so beautiful and wonderful."

"I'm pleased to hear that, Mr McBride. Have you got any friends or relatives to see you there?"

"I don't wanna see anybody with me ending up like this. I do not need anybody, thank you."

"I get it now, you don't like women, do you?"

Raymond felt deeply shocked to hear what his psychotherapist has said. "Don't say such a thing like that!" spluttered Raymond. "Of course I like women, I'm not a sexist like Sid is. What is it you actually mean, young ones, old ones, fat ones, skinny ones, faithful ones or even the ones with big boobs and nipples with it? Try and be more specific."

"It claims from one of the nurses that you have actually got a girlfriend."

"It was just a flash in the pan that girl was."

"What do you mean?"

"It's only a flash in the pan and that's it, alright," shouted Raymond. "My lips are going to be closed for the rest of the day and that's that. I'm not talking to you!"

Mansworth shook his head and sighed. "Very well, if you're not talking then I should do some walking."

"Walk out the door, will ya? I should turn around now because I'm not welcomed here anymore."

Mansworth slowly got onto his feet and started to walk around Raymond in a sensible, courteous manner. His slow movement of walking made Raymond think. He was thinking about two characters from his detective story that wears same clothing (Grey waistcoats, bowler hats, black trousers and black shoes) but are opposite with their amount of height.

The two men, one who is big and slightly fat and the other who is small and skinny, were standing underneath a small bridge smoking cigarettes and watching a light that is being turned on in a house nearby.

"Jig jig," said the big one.

"Yeah, jig, bloody jig," replied the small one, sternly and threw the cigarette that he was smoking, down on the floor. "Us two standing here smoking in the bloody cold."

Then, they noticed something that was heading straight to the house with its light on. It was a woman wearing a fur coat around her body to keep herself warm during the night. She paused for a quick look at the two men before she could go to the spot where she would ring the doorbell so that someone will answer her call. She waited, just for a little while.

END OF CHAPTER THREE

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The next chapter will feature more of Cedric and Sophia as they get back to dating whilst Raymond notices a new patient being moved in at the hospital. Like I said, there's more to come.


	4. Chapter 4

AUTHOR'S NOTE: There's nothing much I could say except enjoy this chapter which will feature Cedric and Sophia and also a couple of hags in Raymond's time at hospital.

DISCLAIMER: As usual and it always will be, I do not own the rights to the Raccoons nor any of the characters.

**Chapter Four: Water off the Duck's back**

Raymond was being placed back to his bed in the ward by the black porter. Like it was for the first time he was being put into his bed, he felt the pain and quiver from his wounded areas. He exhaled when he felt the softness of the bed from his back.

"Boy, you got yourself bad, eh?" asked the black porter in consideration. "You have got this bad."

"Oh thank you," said Raymond, kindly. "Thank you very much."

"So, how well did you get on with your psychotherapist?"

"Gobbledygook," snorted Raymond.

"Sorry?"

"Gobbledygook, it means when something gets out of hand, its likes talking to a nit-wit who has an IQ of 100. That person likes to use his own tongue to do the talking."

The black porter laughed like anything. "Listen, I'll tell you something for free."

"Yeah, be like of what this whole service used to be," said Raymond.

"Hey, listen up, I'm telling you nothing but serious business here." The black porter walked close to Raymond and noticed that Raymond was already starting to sweat.

"I'll tell you one thing," said the black porter softly to Raymond. "Don't talk like cabbage is. Do you read me?"

"I hear you, captain, over and out," muffled Raymond.

"And another thing, are you OK?"

"I don't know but I'm going to be alright, sunshine. There's something that could make me feel a little bit better."

"What is it?"

"Can I have my pad and pen, please?"

"Yeah sure, it's coming right up." The black porter went over to Raymond's bedside table and carried out the pad and pen over to Raymond so that he can reach for it.

"Thanks, sunshine."

"Glad to be of any service." The black porter then grabbed hold of the wheelchair and decided to leave. "I'll see ya, bye."

"Yes, bye-bye," said Raymond and felt like writing again.

* * *

Daylight has returned for the jungle planet and so too goes to Cedric as he was already having to deal with two promises being made including one which was big. During the day, he spend some time with his ill father, Cyril, who was in bed and was still feeling poorly than he was before. Cedric, the pigs and the bears couldn't really understand, the pigs have already give him medicine so that he can get better.

Meanwhile, Sophia was telling her friends, the Raccoons, about meeting Cedric last night and was letting them know that he was alright apart from his father who was taken ill.

"Well, at least Cedric is all in one piece, I guess," said Melissa. "But it's great for him to make you and Broo happy again."

"I could have known better that these rumours were only a joke," thought Ralph.

"Well, I guess it should teach that ol' hose nose something," smirked Bert. "By the time he gets better, he might even try to make another plot to capture all of us animals and to take over the planet Earth. I'll show him and his army, why I would give him a punch on the left and a punch on the right and I'll even kick his own b-"

"Bert!" snapped Melissa and Ralph, in unison.

Bert stop showing off his karate skills and replied. "Err...what, was it something like I said?"

"Don't worry, Bert," said Sophia. "I'm sure Cedric's father won't try to capture you or make another plot to take over Earth." She paused for a moment and looked at the sky above her. She was staring at the planet Earth for an odd time. "I guess we do miss Schaeffer really."

"Yeah, maybe he's right about one thing," said Bert. "We were friends even when we first met. He knows about what the Imperial Commander is up to on his home planet."

Broo slowly walked over to Bert and they cuddled together for comfort.

"Same goes to us, Bert," said Ralph. "Me and Melissa do miss Schaeffer sometimes."

"Well, at least he's home with his family," said Sophia. "He would never be lonely and nor would I because I have Broo with me and tonight I'll be having a reunion date with Cedric."

"Gee, it's very sweet of him to have you go on a date," replied Melissa. "It's kinda romantic." She looked at her husband Ralph for some attention from him.

"_It's_ _kinda__ romantic,"_ said Bert in a voice that sounded like Melissa. He started to laugh and began to make a rhyme about it. "Sophia and Cedric sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G." He continued to chant until without looking of where he was going, he walked straight into a tree. "Ow!"

Ralph decided to play back at Bert by saying. "Silly old Bert walked into a tree, he banged his nose and hurt his knee."

Ralph, Melissa and Sophia went into laughter and as for Bert, who was unhurt, thought that Ralph was being sillier than he is himself.

Soon, the evening had arrived. The sun was going down and the moon was rising up and it was the perfect time for Cedric and Sophia's reunion date to begin. Cedric was waiting patiently for Sophia and Broo to arrive. He was wearing a blue shirt with buttons being put on and he was carrying the best flowers that he could give to Sophia. Sure enough, the female aardvark and the little puppy had arrived. Broo was in front of Sophia as he was clever enough to find Cedric.

"Hi, Broo. Hi, Sophia," called Cedric. Then, he started to gaze at Sophia because she was wearing a special blue dress that she wore only for a special occasion. Cedric has never seen Sophia looked so beautiful in his life. "Wow Sophia, that dress of yours has taken my breath away."

"It was just for something special, Cedric," said Sophia as Cedric handed over the flowers to Sophia. He couldn't help but to look at her particularly when she smelled a wonderful sense from the colourful flowers that he had picked from.

"So, Sophia, shall we take a stroll down towards the lake?" asked Cedric.

"I would love to, Cedric, please lead the way," replied Sophia. She put one of her hands around Cedric's arm as the two aardvarks started their reunion date alongside with Broo as he eventually showed Cedric and Sophia of where the lake was.

During the evening, the two aardvarks and the little puppy walked around the lake as they can see their reflections in the water following their sense of direction. They even had a fun run to see who is fast enough to reach a part of the meadow that was only a short distance away from the lake. Broo was of course the winner when he reached the meadow first. For Cedric and Sophia, they were holding hands with each other whilst the untouched hands felt the rush of thin layered grass as they walked beyond the meadow.

They soon found a perfect spot for them to sit down and look at the night sky with the moonlight that is shining upon them. Broo was nearby to them as he lay down on the soft grass so that he can have a little rest. Sophia and Cedric not only cuddled with Cedric having to put one arm around Sophia's shoulders but they also looked at each other from face to face. The night was soundless and settle as there was no owls screeching or crickets chirping to disturb the peace. Looking at each other for a little time, they seemed to have affection on whether if Cedric was being handsome or Sophia who looked simply beautiful. They shared a little conversation together.

"Cedric, I wish I could spend a little more time with you," said Sophia, softly. "I like to be with you every single minute."

"So do I, Sophia," replied Cedric. "But I have to spend some time looking after my Pop, he still feeling rather poorly."

"I'm sure your father is going to get better soon, Cedric but I don't know if..."

"If what, Sophia?"

"Oh, let's not talk on a quiet night like this, Cedric, let's just kiss."

And so they did on their reunion date as their relationship with each other seem to have been repaired already. Whilst in the middle of it, a shooting star has flashed by in the night sky as it could lead to a wish that would come true for the two loving aardvarks but that would be a little secret when all is revealed.

* * *

"Perfect," thought Raymond. Then, he heard an upcoming noise from one of the corridors in the ward.

"This way, this way, Harry." It was from an elderly woman who was walking with her husband aged roughly in his late seventies and a nurse who is assisting him to walk. They were going to find a bed for Harry, it was the bed that Willie used to be before his death.

"Cor, it smells like boiling fat out here," said Harry in a gruff tone.

"Now now Mr Cockle," said the nurse with an Irish accent, sternly. "We don't make any sort of remarks about each other around here."

"Shut your mouth, Harry," said his wife. "Mind your P's and Q's."

"This is your bed, Mr Cockle," said the nurse as she showed it to him.

"Nice clean sheets, Harry," quoted his wife.

"Oh...yes...well, I'm not getting in the bed, am I?" mumbled Harry. "I'm not staying here, you know."

"Now now Mr Cockle," reminded the nurse. "Remember of what I've said."

"This is the best place that you can stay, Harry," said the wife of his.

"Why, I've haven't been in here before, have I?" exclaimed Harry. "Not now, you're not getting me in that bed and that's all I'm into it. I've got my whole life to live at home whilst no one else is."

"I'll just draw the curtains around the bed, Mr Cockle and then you'll get undressed before you get in," said the nurse.

Harry didn't like the sound of that. "You what?"

"You'll put on your new pyjamas then," assured his wife.

"What are you talking about, pyjamas? I'm not wearing pink pyjamas, am I?"

As the nurse was drawing the curtains, she noticed Raymond's face was starting to boil and his skin was glowing in red colour. He breathed deeply in slow motion. The nurse wasn't going to bother with Raymond as she decided to help out her patient along with the patient's wife.

Harry's wife was helping her husband to get changed so that he can wear his new pyjamas but he still continued to fuss. "You can't bloody wait, can you?"

"Harry!" snapped his wife.

"You can't just bloody wait. You'll be in the first operation to remove that bloody cancer from your body. Why not be with the bleeding nurse laughing her bleeding head off because you're in some sort of estate."

"Oh, Harry, stop it! You are going to stop mucking me about right now."

She then lifted up Harry and placed him on the bed quickly and ferociously. Harry felt the heavy landing on his new bed.

"Gently does it, Mrs Cockle," said the nurse, sharply.

"I'll bloody haunt ya," said Harry, fiercely to his wife. "I'll be back, you stupid bitch."

"Harry!" confronted his wife.

Harry looked at the bed pillows to his left and grabbed hold to one of them. "Christ Almighty! What's all this, what is the bloody political lot, eh? You put your bleeding head on that and you'll suffocate." Harry's wife was in the middle of taking off her husband's shoes. "Oh, leave me alone, will ya? Get off!"

"Harry, I'm warning you if you don't stop," said his wife, harshly.

"Now come along, Mr Cockle," said the nurse as she was going to make him lay down flat on the bed but Harry wouldn't let her.

"Get off me, you bloody old cow!" said Harry, crossly. "Leave me alone, you f-"

Suddenly, in complete fury, his wife slapped him hard on the cheek.

"Mrs Cockle," said the nurse who was quite shocked to see what has happened. "What on earth were you...?"

"She bloody slapped me," whined Harry, making a sad face of himself.

"That should teach my husband, Nurse," said his wife. "I give him one of these but I know what you're thinking. I've been having his nonsense for too long, years and years of it."

Harry started to cry and as for Raymond, he was thinking more about how his detective story goes. He was still and silent as he thought while his body temperature was already rising for some odd reason and his sweat was becoming notable from his forehead.

END OF CHAPTER FOUR

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The next chapter will be the last chapter to feature Raymond's detective story whilst the last couple of chapters may also feature one or two characters from the Raccoons as well with a glimpse of Raymond's time as a youth. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, it won't be too long until the next chapter comes up.


	5. Chapter 5

AUTHOR'S NOTE: In this chapter, the sexual content is implied however it is not convenient for children or younger teenagers to read this chapter, bare that in mind. Otherwise, this will be the last chapter to feature Raymond's detective story in this story.

DISCLAIMER: As usual, I do not own the rights to the Raccoons nor any of the characters. (At least, I wouldn't dare.)

**Chapter 5: Boiling Hot**

"OK Barris how was you and that woman of yours from last night?" asked Ray.

"Well, it wasn't the best result I've been expecting," replied Barris. "It all started with a ring of my doorbell at home…"

Barris went over to answer someone's call. As he opened the door, he had an undisputed surprise to see Nikita, who works at the 'SINGERS' club, from the other night.

"Ah good evening my lovely," said Barris. "You must have the name of what most Russian girls are being called at, Nikita, I presume?"

Nikita was silent to respond but answered by weakly nodding.

"Well I don't want you standing here in the cold all night, why not come in?" said Barris.

Nikita walked through the door inside Barris's apartment and looked around almost everywhere in the house particularly at the sitting-down area.

"I can bet you like this place of mine, do you?" asked Barris, sincerely. "After all, not everyone's homes can of course be compact and modern. Now that you've arrived in here, I can tell that you like the cold, it makes you feel still and icy. Just imagine that you were like the Snow Queen, the one who hates the glowing warmth of what a fire does."

Nikita briefly smiled but was in no mood for comfortable conversations.

Barris walked over to her and continued to talk. "Well go on then, be like the Snow Queen who has the hard, stoned skin like ice and just being mostly still like a statue." There was something that Barris didn't like to see from Nikita, he used one of his thumbs to wipe some of the lipstick off Nikita's lips. "Not to mention that you could be one of the most luckiest whores to live in this town." He walked away from her and sat down on his one-piece suite. "So, are you going to take your clothes off or what?"

Nikita finally spoke when she showed out her right hand to Barris. "Give."

"What?" chuckled Barris, believing that Nikita was trying to make some sort of joke. "What is it you want anyway?"

"Money," she demanded.

"Oh you don't have to be so bloody Russian about it, can you?"

"Money."

"You bitch, you one fancy, horny Russian bitch," said Barris and he spoke in Russian by saying he will give some money to her.

"Spa-see-ba," thanked Nikita in using her own language.

"I was talking to Eleanor the other night and I have made an arrangement with her. For a minute I thought that Eleanor is going to warm me up in my own comfy bed but I had to spend time with you and I will also have to pay you partly."

"Fifteen pounds."

Barris smiled slyly and replied. "You listen to me, you old tart. It would be wiser for me to pay you ten pounds instead."

However, Nikita was still demanding on what Barris had already agreed with Eleanor. "Fifteen."

"I see, we are being polite tonight, aren't we?" Barris got up and moved close to Nikita again. "You do deserve something from me, don't you?" He was starting to lose his cool and had slapped her hard on the cheek. "Go on, say please. Say please to Barry."

Nikita didn't speak up from what Barris had done to her but she begged Barris to hand over the money.

Barris used her right hand to hold up and said as he was giving her the money. "One for my baby, two for my love and three...to drop by again."

Then, Nikita gave him a sick grin and said, quietly. "You shit."

"What?"

"You shit, your money is." She grabbed the money tightly and the notes were starting to crumble. She teared up the notes into little pieces which caused Barris to be utterly horrified.

"You conceited, arrogant, wicked Russian cow," he said, furiously. "I wished I did that and then shove it down your throat!"

Nikita did that as he said so. Barris couldn't quite understand on why Nikita had to refuse his offer when she had to demand it. He soon found out the answer when Nikita revealed her body underneath her fur coat. She was pink lingerie as well with black stockings. She spat out the little pieces of Barris's money and it landed underneath his legs.

"I was getting flustered by the minute, Ray," said Barris whilst he was telling his story from last night to him. "My blood was starting to warm me up already and my skin was starting to burn too. She just wanted me to have sex rather than having to pay her my money anyway."

"She may know better when money is no object, Barris," advised Ray. "What's she trying to do to you is that she is hiding something than it is to her lingerie."

"Well, you can put it in one way or another but however I did what I have to do with her and after quite a while from doing that, I just let her rest on my bed whilst I got up and had decided to smoke a cigar from there."

Barris was already in his smoking session and said to Nikita, who wasn't asleep as he was resting. "Good, now we can talk. Have you ever seen women smoking with cigars like that? Well, you might not know so never mind. What do you know about seducing men and having to steal their money by ripping it up into bits?" He sat down near to where Nikita was. She didn't speak and Barris was insisting to her. "Come on my lovely, tell me because I haven't got the best temper than any other man has got in the whole, wide world. After all, you do have such lovely skin, Nikita. It comes to mention that it must disgust you if I have to do something upon you."

Nikita was calm and steady when his cigar was almost making contact towards her lips.

"I will do something bad on you, Nikita, if you don't tell me who you work for," said Barris in a fierce tone. He got back up and went over to the window by making his mind up on whether he should open up the window for some fresh, cold, breezy air. He can notice the dull, foggy sky at night but agreed to himself that he should look through the window by lifting up one of the blinds.

As he did so, he noticed something strange that was situated at the corner of the street close to where the lamppost was. He can see two men standing nearby and were smoking together. Barris didn't the look of it at all. "My God, there's two men out there, who are they?" said Barris, demanding Nikita an explanation.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes of course I'm bloody well sure, look for yourself. There's two men out there looking at this house, at this time at night. It is half past midnight you know."

Nikita made a decision to herself and she wasted no time as she got of the bed and put on her clothes as quickly as she could. "Is there a back way."

"What?"

"Another way out!"

Barris was now getting suspicious with her. "I don't know what you're up to but you are one of the girls. Now tell me this, who are these two men?"

"I have to get out, please let me out please," she begged to him but Barris wouldn't let her.

"I'm not letting you leave but are they after you or after me?" Barris moved close to her sharply and Nikita was getting worried by his stern look.

"Let me go."

Barris grabbed both of her hands. "I've already told you, Nikita."

"Let me go."

"No!"

Nikita moved her head back and let out a slight chuckle until she made a head-butt at Barris. Barris wailed as he felt the pain from the head-butt that she did.

"I felt my nose was starting to bleed and I couldn't go after her not due to the fact that I wasn't fully dressed but it was because I was left stunned from her. It's some way for her to get away with it, Ray," Barris said to Ray as he was finishing his story about last night.

"When it comes to know about the two men who are standing outside your apartment, Barris," said Ray. "I don't believe that this tramp would be in any connection with the dead man that was lying in the water from the last two nights."

"Even if she isn't, I presume she was not right in the head either."

"Detente may be the French word for relaxation, Barris. After all, these Ruskies are making a good relationship with the Americans for about a few years now but you can never tell what secret they might be hiding."

"True enough to say the least, Ray."

"There's one question that I like to ask, Barris, does this dame know something about you?"

"Well, I don't know."

"You're keeping me back, Barris, don't waste any of my time."

"I'm being serious, Ray, I don't even know. I swear in my mother's grave that Nikita is alive and unharmed when she left my place."

"So what's the difference?"

"The difference is possibly that either the girl may be better off safe not sorry or even get arrested by the police, you never know."

Ray let out his smoky breath and said. "Look Barris, who else you might know of? Come on, tell me."

"Well err...there's Eleanor."

"Eleanor, who is she?"

"She's like Nikita perhaps being some sort of saucy whore working in the 'SINGERS' nightclub."

"Ah, I get it now," said Ray with a clever opinion. "You just want Eleanor to be with you and even to make love to, is that it?"

"Well, some people might want to mind their own business, Ray."

"Don't talk cowshit, Barris," blunted Ray. "I'm trying to make a good suggestion out of you and for one thing's for sure is that it smells just as foul as it is to a piece of gum being stuck onto your shoe. Be as meanly-mouthed as you like but I'm not having any crap coming out of your mouth, Barris, alright?"

Ray got up and slowly walked to one spot that is a little distance from Barris. "And here's something extra, you just wanted me to clean up the mess that you made onto the floor, is that right? I'm like a scoop or a brush or a shovel."

"Ray, please," insisted Barris. "Don't say I've upset your feelings. All I'm saying is that I want you to find that girl or else the two men who are standing outside at my place from last night. What proof that some nasty thing had happened to her might have lied onto the hands of me. I wouldn't do anything like that."

"To tell you the truth, it did."

"You what?"

"Something nasty did happen to her and it came right out of your hands. This girl is related to possibly theft, espionage and worst of all, she might be a mobster."

"You mean she's a member of some sort of mob?"

"And the responsibility might have been yours, Barris, old pal."

Barris felt deeply shocked on what Ray is saying to him. "For God's sakes, Ray, I'm telling you the truth!"

"I know you are."

"Of course I am..."

"What I'm trying to say is that in the background, something did nasty happen to at least three men. One was in the ground, the other was in the water and the last one was from last night at the disused back entrance in the 'SINGERS' club. He was hanging with a rope around its neck and a dagger that went straight into his heart."

Barris remembered of what he saw from last night at the nightclub but was too scared to tell Ray that he was the first to see the dead body. "Ray, are you being suspicious at me just because of that girl from last night?" asked Barris.

"I could be suspicious of any time that I like, Barris," replied Ray. "Otherwise, these kind of girls do tend to agree on money, sex, drugs and music."

"Music, Ray?"

"Yes, the notes lead those girls right into their own humble homes."

END OF CHAPTER FIVE

AUTHOR'S NOTE: No more of the characters from Raymond's detective story in this story. The next chapter features Raymond in a horrible health issue as his hallucinations affect him badly and will also see Raymond's upsetting time when he was a child. Keep reading as the unexpected will of course happen.


	6. Chapter 6

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Not much to say except there is some material in the background that you may find upsetting as the following in this chapter has some irresponsible behaviour and also a bit of strong language.

DISCLAIMER: (Yes, you know what I'm trying to say) I do not own the rights to the Raccoons nor any of the characters from the show.

**Chapter Six: Fish Out of Water**

Raymond was heavily breathing as his situation about the heat that he is feeling is getting much worse than he had thought. He was hoping to call out for help from a nurse or even a doctor but with all the breathing he was doing made his chances of speaking very difficult. He moved slightly to his right and can notice in his point of view that Harry was sitting up in his bed with new pajamas on.

"Hey, H-H-Harry, can you help me please?" said Raymond, slowly and weakly.

Soon, if it was for real or not, Harry turned to his left and started to gaze at Raymond for a long time. Raymond can't seem to know if Harry is going to find out the situation that Raymond is facing. Then, Harry started to sing some sort of song about dreaming of being a rich man and have himself a happy-go-lucky feeling. However, it was only for Raymond to see another one of his hallucinations going through in his mind.

It caused Raymond to remember of when he was young, his father used to sing songs like that in his old friend's pub. His pub was situated in a Catholic traditional area in his home city of Belfast in Northern Ireland. The pub is filled with mostly men but also some women including Raymond's mother who would want to see him sing as well as entertaining the crowd. Raymond can remember himself being there to watch his father sing, drinking his cola pop while he watches.

"Those were the days," said Raymond, dreamily. The one thing he can admire the most is to see one of his father's friends perform classical opera like the likes of Pavarotti or perhaps Domingo. He can hear that wonderful voice of talent going through in his memory. So much for Raymond, at the hospital, he couldn't seem to notice or understand one of the nurses speaking to him. It was the young nurse who does the duty of checking his temperature. She put the thermometer into his mouth and not very long to see that Raymond's temperature was increasing rapidly causing the nurse to look very concerned.

"Mr McBride, I think your temperature has gone sky-high," she said and looked at him, sharply. "Mr McBride, are you in pain?"

"Help, help," said Raymond, groggily as his responses were growing much weaker than he previously thought.

"Hang on, Mr McBride. I'm going to give you a drink of cold water now." The nurse went over to Raymond's bedside table to make his drink. "Now, you must drink this."

Raymond moved forward slightly to have his drink. He was slow but confident enough to do this. He was mumbling to the opera music that he was memorizing of.

"Come on now, Mr McBride, you must have this drink at once," demanded the nurse. As he did so, he felt his head would go back for a moment but the nurse pleaded him to move his head forward. "Mr McBride, I'm going to call a doctor to help you out, understand to what I'm saying?"

Raymond could only continue to say things in a dull voice. "Money...rich man...I want some...money."

"You're not getting any money, Mr McBride, you're taking this drink of water," said the nurse. She placed the drink on Raymond's bedside table after he had some mouthfuls and went away to send for help.

For now, Raymond was still suffering his hallucinations going through inside his mind. "Water...I think of water...the man lying in the water, drowning."

He imagined himself going up some stairs in someone's house, he can the sound of thrusting going on in one of the rooms. Curious and suspicious it was for Raymond and he approached towards a door in front of him. It was the door that can lead him to the room where the thrusting was taking place. He slowly opened the door to have one of his biggest shocks in his life. He can see a girl with blonde hair, about the same age as his (20), and a man, who is slightly older, in bed together. They were dressed though not in their pajamas and they were underneath a cover. They were caressing together and the girl was looking to her left for one moment. She soon spotted Raymond who saw everything. She noticed that herself and the man with her were caught in the act but she didn't care about it since she had been drinking alcohol. She felt calm and steady on how she would react and to communicate with Raymond.

"Oh hello, Raymond," she said in a relaxing mood whilst she was enjoying her pleasure with the man that is on top of her.

Raymond's face was starting to tremble in outrage. His teeth were beginning to grind and his feelings were mixed in anger and sadness.

"You bitch, you beastly bitch!" said Raymond, in an angry yet quiet voice at her.

"Why not join us, Raymond?" she replied. "Join us and we'll have fun, the three of us. Come on."

Raymond shook his head and answered quietly. "No." He knew that he cannot take this no more from seeing this for real.

"Come on, Raymond," encouraged the girl. "I'm waiting, come and play with us, Raymond."

"No!" shouted Raymond in fury and closed the door hard before running down the stairs and leaving the house at once.

As for the girl, she allowed the man to continue thrusting whilst she was calling out for Raymond, in a soft, gentle tone of voice.

"Oh don't run away, you arsehole. Raymond, Raymond. Come back Raymond, I'll explain when I'm finished with him. Raymond, Raymond."

Raymond who was thinking silently about it, resumed to have more deep breaths and he felt the sudden pain of his scar on the right-hand side of his head that is deteriorating him badly. He quickly remembers another flashback when he was a 10 year-old boy.

He was playing in the park all by himself. He was running in the grass until he slowed down when he noticed his schoolmates (all were male) that were going to surround him in a circle. One of the schoolmates has a fierce pit-bull terrier dog on a lead. There were at least ten of them, a few with black, short hair, a couple with ginger hair while the rest have their heads shaved off. They all began to tease at Raymond by chanting out a rhyme which he didn't like to hear at all.

_'Raymond, Raymond, he makes me sick!_

_He doesn't care about himself nor his dick!"_

Raymond put his hands over his ears as an attempt to block out that he was hearing. Sadly, it didn't help young Raymond at all as the boys' chants were getting louder and they were moving closer towards Raymond by setting some sort of trap so that cannot break through their barrier.

One of the boys spat on him whilst the one behind kicked Raymond at the buttocks.

"Look Raymond," shouted the one with black hair. "Here's a full moon for you." He turned around and bend down before he took off his trousers and underwear. He exposed his bottom at Raymond which a few boys laughed at his joke.

The boys were doing anything foolish at poor Raymond. One of the worst things they did upon him was when one of the fierce-looking boys, who was quite fat, performed a head-butt at Raymond causing the young, unfortunate lad to fall down.

Then, the boy with the fierce dog suggested an idea. "Hey, let's see what Skipper can do at Raymond," he said. The other boys agreed with him and began encouraging the dog to do a bad thing on Raymond. The dog owner took the lead off the dog and sure enough the dog went over to Raymond, lying on the ground, and began to sniff at him.

"He might maul him, you know," quoted one.

"Shut up for fuck's sakes," replied the young dog owner.

Soon, the dog positioned himself with his back legs onto one side of where Raymond's face is. The animal stuck his right leg up and urinated at him. The boys watched in gross but laughed like everything. They were amazed of what that dog did to poor Raymond. The dog went back to its owner and the other boys cheered and congratulated the mongrel. They all ran off and left Raymond in an cruel, distressing state.

For the 20 year-old Raymond then thought of something else he had in mind. He remembered hearing a young girl singing a memorable song from a classical film. He thought deeply and passionately.

"It must be some place far far away, beyond the moon, beyond the rain."

The young girl with blonde hair sang her heart out in the old pub where young Raymond who may not go there very often due to his age but it is only in special occasions particularly if it was his birthday. This girl has such a splendid voice indeed by not going over the top or being below or even average. For Raymond, her voice not only defined him but her looks and style even with the red dress that she was wearing made him feel like he could be the man of her life when he grows up.

With the audience applauding to her talent, 20 year-old Raymond imagined to himself that he was there with all the men enjoying their pints of beer and enjoying the swell mood of light conversations. He looked at the young girl at some distance, he said to himself. "That girl and her sweet singing voice. God, I love her."

Suddenly, he noticed a pink aardvark with a cigar in its mouth talking to him. "You know son, you should be thinking more about business and money rather than looking at spiteful wicked girls like she is."

"Cyril Sneer," gasped Raymond. "Is that really you?"

"Of course it's me, now wake at up once!" snapped Cyril. "How do you think I am, old Knox? He's always trying to make a mockery out of me, nowadays."

"I can tell," replied Raymond. "And Sophia?"

"What her? Blast that that Sofa Girl, son. She's no use to you nor it is to my son. She's too sly, sneaky and even ugly!"

"No she's not, not in my own opinion and the same goes to her over there. She's my dream girl."

"You should be marrying rich women instead of poor girls, son. You know, it could make a great alliance with you and your future wife together. You'll be producing big bucks of money every single day with that marriage."

Cyril let out the smoke from his mouth. The smoke surrounds Raymond's sense of smell all over causing the human to cough.

"Yes I see," said Raymond, still coughing with the smoke that Cyril was making.

Cyril noticed the long scar that Raymond has on the right-hand side of the face. "Gosh, what happened to your face anyway, did someone smashed you or what?"

"You could say that for sure, Cyril," groaned Raymond. "Some kind of loyalist has attacked me with his little gun and shot four time in the arms and legs. Just look at my bandages." He showed Cyril the bandages that he had on his arms and legs.

"Hmm, that guy must have done this to you only because he's poor, that's all."

"Fancy saying something like that, Cyril," said Raymond, crossly.

He saw that the pub was getting deserted not when by people who are starting to leave but it is because this is what it is now, ten years later. The pub was closed for some odd reason with chairs being displaced and the piano being covered by a blanket. Raymond turned to look at Cyril for a moment but he vanished at the same time as the people did. Raymond was all alone and not a sound was being made by anything.

Only the mind of Raymond's head was speaking to him. 'Strange, isn't it, with your dad and your mother and everyone else including that girl that you love disappeared into thin air, haven't they?'

"Yeah, they're gone alright," moaned Raymond. "God, I missed them so much."

He looked down at first before looking up to notice a doctor talking to him. His hallucinations seemed to have stopped for now.

"What are you saying, Mr McBride, are you OK? Raymond, can you understand me?"

Raymond can just about communicate with the doctor speaking to him. "I saw Cyril in the old pub where my father used to perform there," said Raymond, tiresomely. "Now he's gone, everyone else is. They're all gone for good."

The doctor soon assured the young nurse that Raymond should rest for the time being whilst Raymond had his eyes being closed after a long while when they were barely open mostly due to the hallucinations he was suffering. He only wished that something should come true if the hallucinations was for real.

END OF CHAPTER SIX

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Almost done now, just one more chapter to go and you'll be in for a big surprise when you find out who is that blonde girl that Raymond is thinking about. There's also going to be a little more of Cedric and Sophia's love story when Cedric gets back home in time to have a word with his father. So, get ready to read again, this story is almost over.


	7. Chapter 7

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is almost complete and the mysterious girl during Raymond's time will soon be revealed. A little warning to give you, the last chapter of this story contain strong language.

DISCLAIMER: (For the last time) I do not own the rights to the Raccoons nor any characters from the show.

**Chapter 7: Dirty Water**

Cedric was on his way back home to the emergency camp of his father's military. He was so pleased with himself after his reunion date with Sophia was a romantic success. He was feeling tired after his night out and decided to head straight off to bed in his little tent he had put up. As he was about to go in, the pig guards had interrupted him.

One of them spoke out. "Master Cedric, Master Cedric."

"Y-yes I'm here, what is it?" asked Cedric.

"Your father would like to speak to you in private, immediately."

"Pop? O-OK then, I'll join you."

Cedric and the pigs headed over to the huge tent where his father was. Cedric sneaked in quietly and cautiously as he can see his father being tucked into his sleeping bag. He isn't asleep but spoke softly when he noticed that his son had arrived.

"Cedric, is that you?"

"Yeah Pop, it's me alright," replied Cedric in a much softer tone. "Is there something you like to talk about, Pop?"

"Sure son, I have something to tell you..." Cyril then raised his voice. "Where have you been, Cedric?" He coughed before he can recover himself to speak again. "I wanted to see you earlier before I get my beauty sleep, now what kept you?"

"Sorry Pop, I just felt like going out on another one of those strolls around the jungle. It's good to give me exercise, Pop."

"You should know better when you have to go out, Cedric. I thought you would've been captured or kidnapped from those animals out there."

"The animals, Pop?"

"Of course it's those animals, Cedric. They are the ones who tried to stop me when I was going to take over the planet Earth but I managed to foil them with my own traps and if it hadn't been for those raccoons and those miserable mutts, you and I could have made new residence at the new home planet instead of being in this emergency tent of mine." Cyril coughed again before he could finish. "I was feeling worried sick about you, son."

"Pop, I was fine. No one would try to do something like that, I was safe, honest."

"Son, this is the reason I called you up here, it's your safety that matters to me. The next time you go out into the open air, Cedric, you must not try to go too far from here or else..."

"Don't worry Pop," assured Cedric. "I understand, I'll be a little more careful the next time I go out if that's what you wanted."

"Cedric, my boy, it's the very idea I like to hear from you and remember about that promise we made together, haven't you?"

"I sure do, Pop, so there's nothing to fear about me. I'll be just fine."

Cyril yawned and was starting to feel sleepy again. Cedric decided that he should go to his own bed as well and quietly said to his father. "Goodnight, Pop, pleasant dreams, Pop." He was about to walk away until...

"Cedric."

Cedric turned around to see his father again. "Yes Pop?"

"There's one more thing I forgot to tell you, son."

"What is it, Pop?"

"Why are you wearing your suit for?"

"Oh, my suit. Well I..." Cedric didn't want to tell his father about his night out with Sophia or else Cyril will go berserk. He gained some courage to himself and mocked. "Sometimes I think that the nights are kinda...chilly than it is to the daylight, Pop. So, I put on my suit just to keep me warm, that's all."

Cyril wasn't too sure if his son was telling the truth, apparently when Cedric didn't. Cyril just sighed and replied. "That's fine, son, now get some sleep."

"I will, goodnight Pop...and...I love you, Pop."

"And I love you too, Cedric, you're the only one I love."

Cedric quietly left the tent and headed off to his bed in his own little tent. The pigs who were standing outside the entrance close to the huge tent watched Cedric go by. Then, they can hear Cyril calling out for him and trotted inside to see what he wants.

"You called, Imperial Commander?" asked one.

"I want you three pigs and those bears and my dog Snag to keep a close eye on my son every time he goes out," explained Cyril. "I have a sneaky suspicion that there might be espionage going on around this area and I don't like that at all!"

"You have our word, Imperial Commander. We shall follow your son's tracks every time he goes out."

"And if any animal does spy on us," said the pig on the left. "It shall be taken into custody before we set out plans to destroy the animal."

"Perfect, it shall be done," agreed Cyril. "Now there's something else that you can also do for me."

"What is it, Sire?" asked the pig on the right.

"Fetch me my medicine, you dumbheads!" snapped Cyril before he coughed once more. The pigs went over to the emergency supplies and quickly made his medicine for Cyril.

Cedric may have fallen happily to sleep that night, what he doesn't realise is that his father is now starting to follow his tracks and trouble would come right around the corner than he least expected.

* * *

Raymond was soundly asleep in hospital and it was at that time that many relatives and friends from the male patients are doing sick visiting.

The young nurse showed the girl with long, blonde hair, the same age as Raymond, of which bed he was at (bed 11).

"I don't think you should talk to him at this present moment," explained the young nurse. "He had some problems to communicate and he has to sleep for most of the day."

"It's better not to wake him even if you have to, Nurse," said the girl and she noticed the sight of Raymond. She was quite shocked to see a long scar that had been left trickled down on the right-hand side of his face. "Oh my God," she said in disbelief. "Just look at that scar."

"I know," replied the young nurse. "It was caused from the forces of power when Raymond got shot."

"He's such a poor thing, I didn't know how bad he looked like this. It gives me the woollies to have a bloke end up with a scar like that, it's horrible."

"There's no way for this scar to be treated, unfortunately."

"Well, I know that."

"The funny thing is that he's believed to have been suffering from hallucinations."

"Hallucinations?"

"It means when someone has their imagination getting into their head, then there's no way for the person to let it stop."

"Oh I see. I know he doesn't...you know he's not like the other guys, like for instance, taking some illegal drugs, smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. I was drunk at one time but he's not impressed when I..." She paused for a moment and resumed. "Well, I must not get too carried away with what I'm saying."

"I'll see if I can get him talking," said the young nurse and spoke in a direct and in an almost loud voice. "Raymond, Raymond, can you talk to me?" No answer came out from Raymond as he was still fast asleep. The young nurse tried again one more time. "Mr McBride, there's a visitor who..."

"There's no need to wake him up really," interrupted the girl. "If you did then he can go hysterical and hyper at me, not to mention he starts to take a piss out on me."

The young nurse walked close to the girl and whispered. "Look, the doctors and nurses around in this hospital are trying to get a chance to find the nearest relative that they can get hold of because so far there has been no luck on trying to find any one of them. I was wondering if you know someone who's is a relative of his."

"When I was young, I can remember his father performing at my father's pub, you see, our fathers are both good friends."

"Oh yes, I see."

"I know it's been a few months since Raymond has got a new home to live to, he lives with his grandparents before he moved out but I don't think...all right, I'll see his grandparents then. I know where they live but it's funny to imagine that the grandparents of his can let out some verbal abuse out on me."

"I'm sorry?"

"If he wakes up now just to notice me then you'll know why. I'm not having any of it and I have to go now but thank you."

"That's quite alright and I'm sorry but I don't know your name."

"Oh I hadn't told you, have I? I'm McChristie, Maria McChristie."

"OK Maria, it's nice to see you."

"And it's nice to see him nice."

The young nurse and the girl briefly chuckled before they left him alone with the curtains of Raymond's bed area closed.

At that very moment, Raymond had his eyes slowly opened, he had just heard the last few words of what Maria has said to the young nurse.

"M-Maria, is that you?" he weakly said. However, Maria was at some distance away from him. He slowly had his voice raised when he resumed to call out for her. "Maria, come here, come back you bitch. Maria, I like to have a word with you, bitch!"

With his voice already starting to grow louder, Maria can just about hear his call for some attention but she decided to ignore him or else her reaction would become negative.

Raymond was continuing to call out for Maria, loudly and angrily. "You stupid old slut, come here! You're a rotten tramp, Maria, you cheated on me! You let some man go on top and start fucking you, I saw you, MARIA!"

Raymond's loud outbursts had caused all the patients and their relatives and friends to stop talking to each other and looked to see where the noise was coming from. The Staff Nurse also heard Raymond's shouts and immediately went over to see him at once.

Raymond didn't know of what has happening in the background and continued to shout out loud. "YOU ARE A STINKING, BEASTLY, BLOODY, HEARTLESS C-!" He stopped when the Staff Nurse savagely opened up the curtains.

She was completely annoyed to see Raymond act like this and asked him furiously. "Mr McBride, what is the meaning of all this?" She had all the curtains fully opened so that Raymond can notice the patients, their relatives and friends who are staring at him oddly.

"Wash his mouth out, Nurse," suggested Mrs Cockle to the Staff Nurse. "It's better to have his mouth washed out with soapy water, the dirty, young bugger."

Raymond couldn't seem to understand why everyone has to stare at him only because he was shouting out for Maria to come back. "W-what's going on?" he asked.

"You, that's what is going on," said the Staff Nurse, crossly. "What do you think you are actually doing and where on earth do you think you are?!"

Raymond thought he should mock something up. There was a short silence at the ward until Raymond had to apologize. "Oh, I'm sorry I...I didn't mean...um...I was...thinking of some sort of...song."

"Song, what song?" asked the Staff Nurse, severely.

"Screaming and shouting your head off isn't singing, you old sod," addressed Mrs Cockle to Raymond.

"Well I know that," replied Raymond. "It's sort of goes like um..." He paused for a moment to think until he starts to sing the chorus of a song called 'Let Me Call You Sweetheart.' He just wished he hadn't got himself carried away when it comes to Maria, he felt quite embarrassed and frankly disgraced.

After he had finished singing, he said one last thing before he pretended to fall asleep. "Until then it's goodnight from me and it's goodnight from...her."

THE END

AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's a shame this story has to end there but I do hope you've enjoyed it. There's more to come when Cedric and Sophia's relationship takes a much bigger step and another patient in hospital dies whilst Raymond was in confrontation. I will also not forget about Raymond's detective story as well as his childhood too. So it ends of what the Two Ronnies did at the end of their show, it is goodbye from me and it's goodbye from him...Raymond, apparently.


End file.
